The DEC and the Barkeater Trails Alliance (BETA) are urging mountain bikers to avoid trails and closed seasonal access roads in the Adirondacks until the trails and roads have dried and hardened. In other words, you might want to pick a different recreational activity until the spring mud season has passed.
“Mud season in the Adirondacks is a very sensitive time for mountain bike trails,” Josh Wilson, Executive Director of BETA, said in a statement. “Some trails dry out relatively quickly in the spring or after periods of rain, while others remain muddy for weeks on end regardless of weather.”
Riding on wet and muddy trails can cause severe and lasting damage. It can also harm trailside vegetation and tree roots, erode slopes, and it also widens trails, which takes land away from animals and insects.
By avoiding biking on trails for the time being you’re helping to protect the trails, natural resources, and surrounding habitats of the Adirondack Park.
You can check on trail conditions, recommended rides, and find more info on Trail Forks, a website and app used by BETA, and through the DEC’s website.
If you’d like to try hiking instead, with the proper footwear and clothing, mud season can still be enjoyable.
